WISCONSIN
"Where were you on 9/11?" as remembered by those in Wisconsin that day.
Dr. Campbell remembers performing surgery in Wisconsin as news of the 9/11 attacks broke in.
1. It was a beautiful morning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in September and I was in the operating room. I'm a cancer surgeon, we were taking care of a patient that had a large cancer in his neck. He was asleep and we were moving along as we always do, working away dissecting the tissues and finding the places that the cancer was and wasn't. Trying to separate the two, it's tricky work and it's meticulous work and it takes concentration. Suddenly, the door opens and one of my colleagues bursts in the room and announces that a plane is crashed into one of the towers.
'It's showing the picture over and over again!'
They're looping it on television and going over this terrible tragedy. Nobody knows what's going on and he's talking away and he then just bursts out of the room runs back over the lounge where he can watch television again. We were stunned, this is a kind of a sacrosanct place in the operating room - it's quiet, we don't know what's going on in the outside world and the outside world has burst in on us for just a few minutes. So, we continue working and it's slow work and we're taking our time and the work door opens again! He comes bursting back in and this time he says,
'Another plane is crashed into the second tower!'
He rushes back out again and a few minutes later it bursts back in and says that the President's been on television announcing that terrorists are behind the disaster. We finally just tell him he's got to stop, we've got to concentrate and we've got to take care of this patient and get our work done. He leaves us and a few minutes later we finally finish up and go to the recovery room with the patient, realizing the man has gone to sleep in one world and as we learn what has happened he's waking up in a completely different world.
For several years, I continued to follow him in the office and I'd see him about once a year. We'd go over not only his cancer follow-up but also we would have a conversation about what had happened that day. I would say what I remembered and he would tell me what he remembered and then finally one day I didn't need to see him anymore. He's been out cancer-free for several years. That was one of those things that tied us together and kept us understanding how our worlds had both changed that morning of September 11.
- Dr. Bruce Campbell
'It's showing the picture over and over again!'
They're looping it on television and going over this terrible tragedy. Nobody knows what's going on and he's talking away and he then just bursts out of the room runs back over the lounge where he can watch television again. We were stunned, this is a kind of a sacrosanct place in the operating room - it's quiet, we don't know what's going on in the outside world and the outside world has burst in on us for just a few minutes. So, we continue working and it's slow work and we're taking our time and the work door opens again! He comes bursting back in and this time he says,
'Another plane is crashed into the second tower!'
He rushes back out again and a few minutes later it bursts back in and says that the President's been on television announcing that terrorists are behind the disaster. We finally just tell him he's got to stop, we've got to concentrate and we've got to take care of this patient and get our work done. He leaves us and a few minutes later we finally finish up and go to the recovery room with the patient, realizing the man has gone to sleep in one world and as we learn what has happened he's waking up in a completely different world.
For several years, I continued to follow him in the office and I'd see him about once a year. We'd go over not only his cancer follow-up but also we would have a conversation about what had happened that day. I would say what I remembered and he would tell me what he remembered and then finally one day I didn't need to see him anymore. He's been out cancer-free for several years. That was one of those things that tied us together and kept us understanding how our worlds had both changed that morning of September 11.
- Dr. Bruce Campbell
Written Stories
2. "I was in first semester of freshman year at UW Madison. I woke up, poured my cereal, and sat on the couch to make TV. I had an old tube style TV box so took a few seconds to show a picture. As the picture faded on the screen I lifted my first spoonful to my mouth and before I could taste it I was watching the second tower get hit in real time. I didn’t get to eat breakfast that day.
A couple days later they lifted they no fly ban while I was taking a lunch break/nap atop Bascom Hill. I didn’t know they lifted the ban and as I watched a jet flying low in the direction of the capitol building, my heart fell through my shoes. Thankfully things didn’t go down like that but... I have never felt such an imminent dread before or since.
Not all is bad though. Watching the police, firefighters, etc. as well as private citizens pulling together was a thing of beauty.
Restored some faith in humanity for a little while. Silver linings,eh?"
- P. B.
A couple days later they lifted they no fly ban while I was taking a lunch break/nap atop Bascom Hill. I didn’t know they lifted the ban and as I watched a jet flying low in the direction of the capitol building, my heart fell through my shoes. Thankfully things didn’t go down like that but... I have never felt such an imminent dread before or since.
Not all is bad though. Watching the police, firefighters, etc. as well as private citizens pulling together was a thing of beauty.
Restored some faith in humanity for a little while. Silver linings,eh?"
- P. B.
3. "I was eleven years old, in sixth grade. I walked into the art classroom and my teacher had a radio on reporting the attacks. The South Tower had already fallen, possibly the North as well, and at that point nobody knew who did it, why, or if there were still more attacks coming. I walked over to listen and she turned it off. When I asked her what was going on she turned to me and dead-panned replied,
'We're under attack.'
She refused to say ANYTHING else about it or allow any discussion and conducted class as normal. The principal made a brief announcement over our PA system, but it was not until around noon that my teachers gathered us all together and visibly struggled to explain to a bunch of eleven year old what the hell had happened.
They said that the World Trade Center was gone, someone had flown planes full of people into them and we did not know who or why. A third plane had hit the Pentagon and damaged it; but it was still there, and a fourth plane was missing.
A lot of us did not know where any of these buildings were so they had to explain all of that to us too.
After that, the rest of the school day was a surreal mix of business as usual and listening to/watching live news coverage of the events. There were fights and arguments among parents and faculty about allowing us to view the news, particularly because of footage of people jumping from the burning towers. It is surreal, looking back on it and an unsettling feeling that I am not sure what to do with.
What I remember most was that it was like overnight, just like that, everything that had been so awesome and great about being a 90's kid was just gone."
- R. S.
'We're under attack.'
She refused to say ANYTHING else about it or allow any discussion and conducted class as normal. The principal made a brief announcement over our PA system, but it was not until around noon that my teachers gathered us all together and visibly struggled to explain to a bunch of eleven year old what the hell had happened.
They said that the World Trade Center was gone, someone had flown planes full of people into them and we did not know who or why. A third plane had hit the Pentagon and damaged it; but it was still there, and a fourth plane was missing.
A lot of us did not know where any of these buildings were so they had to explain all of that to us too.
After that, the rest of the school day was a surreal mix of business as usual and listening to/watching live news coverage of the events. There were fights and arguments among parents and faculty about allowing us to view the news, particularly because of footage of people jumping from the burning towers. It is surreal, looking back on it and an unsettling feeling that I am not sure what to do with.
What I remember most was that it was like overnight, just like that, everything that had been so awesome and great about being a 90's kid was just gone."
- R. S.
4. "I was a Sophomore in math class at Wauwatosa West High School and there were no televisions on carts in the math rooms. An announcement from our principle came on over the speakers telling us what they knew so far - Planes had hit the World Trade Center.
We moved on to our next class, Mr. Oliver’s social studies. He had a TV and it was already on, showing the towers collapse. It was all playing out in front of us and then you hear about the other planes. The whole day was just everyone watching - kids freaking out among themselves. Rumors began that the malls were next to be attacked and our teachers didn’t really know what to do either. They were all stunned.
I don’t recall how I got home with my sister, but I know when we got there ever single cable channel was the breaking news, even Cartoon Network was news! No escape from reality. My Mom was very reassuring we would be safe from what was going on."
- Monique Balistrieri
We moved on to our next class, Mr. Oliver’s social studies. He had a TV and it was already on, showing the towers collapse. It was all playing out in front of us and then you hear about the other planes. The whole day was just everyone watching - kids freaking out among themselves. Rumors began that the malls were next to be attacked and our teachers didn’t really know what to do either. They were all stunned.
I don’t recall how I got home with my sister, but I know when we got there ever single cable channel was the breaking news, even Cartoon Network was news! No escape from reality. My Mom was very reassuring we would be safe from what was going on."
- Monique Balistrieri
5. "When the first plane hit I was actually stepping off the city bus to walk into school but I didn’t actually know anything had happened until were were in the middle of my first hour math class. My math teacher’s wife had called to tell him and when he told us I tried to conjure an image in my mind of what the World Trade Center was... when we saw the footage on wheeled in TVs over the rest of the day I was able to confirm my guess was correct. I had just purchased a t-shirt with the towers on it as part of my back to school shopping. When our teacher told us, a class clown type kid said,
'Damn Arabs' A girl chided him,
'That is so mean!'
In the second between our teacher telling us and the clown’s commentary, I’d actually thought
'How could they hit such a tall, big building? How could this mistake happen?'
I called my mom from a pay phone over lunch to let her know I knew what happened. A girl I was friends with was absent that day but came in just because she thought none of us knew. The halls were silent - all you heard were foot steps. On my way home kids on the bus were talking about going to a gas station to beat up the attendant... they also thought the White House had been
attacked.
I felt nothing. No fear or shock. Disgust for the kids on the bus. I kept thinking that I was witnessing a big historical moment. I’ve become more fascinated with and devastated by this day over time. It’s definitely an unforgettable moment that ushered in a very different reality for all of us."
- Megan Montgomery
'Damn Arabs' A girl chided him,
'That is so mean!'
In the second between our teacher telling us and the clown’s commentary, I’d actually thought
'How could they hit such a tall, big building? How could this mistake happen?'
I called my mom from a pay phone over lunch to let her know I knew what happened. A girl I was friends with was absent that day but came in just because she thought none of us knew. The halls were silent - all you heard were foot steps. On my way home kids on the bus were talking about going to a gas station to beat up the attendant... they also thought the White House had been
attacked.
I felt nothing. No fear or shock. Disgust for the kids on the bus. I kept thinking that I was witnessing a big historical moment. I’ve become more fascinated with and devastated by this day over time. It’s definitely an unforgettable moment that ushered in a very different reality for all of us."
- Megan Montgomery
6. "I was sick at home with the flu, during senior year of high school. I watched the aftermath of the first plane hitting the Towers, and was in complete shock. After that, I was on the phone with my mom and saw the second plane hit. My only reaction,
'Mom, I will be teaching about this someday.'
And I am, to high schoolers who weren't alive when the events of that day occurred."
- James Van Kirk
'Mom, I will be teaching about this someday.'
And I am, to high schoolers who weren't alive when the events of that day occurred."
- James Van Kirk
7. "I was in high school gym class. At the end of the class the teacher told us that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers. I didn’t really know what this meant. Passing time seemed different, but I was still not sure what was happening. My next class was social studies with the best teacher in the school. I thought,
'Mr. Casey will explain it all.'
He sure did. And as we watched CNN from our desks the second plane hit. Again, No one knew what to think. The whole school was silent, our teacher was starting to cry. It was a very emotional experience for everyone."
- Joshua E.
'Mr. Casey will explain it all.'
He sure did. And as we watched CNN from our desks the second plane hit. Again, No one knew what to think. The whole school was silent, our teacher was starting to cry. It was a very emotional experience for everyone."
- Joshua E.
8. "I was in Mr. Buyas' 5th grade class at 1st Eve. School in La Crosse. We had just finished English class and were moving to math, when the school secretary came to the door. She was visibly shaken and whispered something to the teacher. Without saying a word, he turned on the TV in the corner of the room. There was a live video feed from New York, and this was a few minutes after the first plane hit. The information coming in was chaotic, the original tone was that there had been an accident and that it was a small craft.
The reporters were speculating on what could have caused the 'accident.' I thought,
'What idiot crashes into a building, it's not like it jumped out in front of them.'
Less than a minute later, the 2nd plane streaked across the sky and turned into a huge fireball.
That broadcast was live and entirely uncensored. We could see everything.
When the buildings collapsed, they created a huge wall of fine grey dust that covered everything and everyone. Reports of other hijacked planes started coming in, something about the Pentagon and somewhere in Pennsylvania, it was chaotic. The main focus was on New York though.
In the following days, the rescue efforts and news were on every channel, even Cartoon Network. Everyone was terrified of when the next attack was coming. A week or two later was the anthrax attacks, which were unrelated, but we didn't know that at the time. I'll never forget that day so long as I live and I'm still haunted by what I saw as a 10 year old boy."
- S. M.
The reporters were speculating on what could have caused the 'accident.' I thought,
'What idiot crashes into a building, it's not like it jumped out in front of them.'
Less than a minute later, the 2nd plane streaked across the sky and turned into a huge fireball.
That broadcast was live and entirely uncensored. We could see everything.
When the buildings collapsed, they created a huge wall of fine grey dust that covered everything and everyone. Reports of other hijacked planes started coming in, something about the Pentagon and somewhere in Pennsylvania, it was chaotic. The main focus was on New York though.
In the following days, the rescue efforts and news were on every channel, even Cartoon Network. Everyone was terrified of when the next attack was coming. A week or two later was the anthrax attacks, which were unrelated, but we didn't know that at the time. I'll never forget that day so long as I live and I'm still haunted by what I saw as a 10 year old boy."
- S. M.
9. "I was in 5th grade at the time and my very anxious mom came to pick me up from school. I didn't know what was going on until she told me the country was being attacked and somebody flew an airplane into a building.
Even seeing it on TV once we got to my grandma's, it didn't resonate with me because New York City seemed so far away. I'll never forget the scenes though. The day after, all the kids in school were talking about it. I was paranoid that terrorists would fly an airplane into my school for the rest of that year, despite my mom and teacher saying it probably won't happen. That same year, somebody called in a bomb threat at my school. We evacuated, and bomb squad cleared the building. Thankfully, it was only a prank call and there was no bomb."
- D. P.
Even seeing it on TV once we got to my grandma's, it didn't resonate with me because New York City seemed so far away. I'll never forget the scenes though. The day after, all the kids in school were talking about it. I was paranoid that terrorists would fly an airplane into my school for the rest of that year, despite my mom and teacher saying it probably won't happen. That same year, somebody called in a bomb threat at my school. We evacuated, and bomb squad cleared the building. Thankfully, it was only a prank call and there was no bomb."
- D. P.
10. "I was probably stepping off the bus for high school as the first plane hit. It was the quietest day of school ever.
I called my mom from a pay phone over lunch to let her know I knew. Lots of other kids were doing the same."
- O. L.
I called my mom from a pay phone over lunch to let her know I knew. Lots of other kids were doing the same."
- O. L.
11. "I woke up late for school and didn't turn radio alarm off before jumping in shower. The moment I got out all I heard was Brian from Bob and Brian (102.9 The Hog) saying,
'Whatever this means, WE ARE AT WAR!'
- L. L.
'Whatever this means, WE ARE AT WAR!'
- L. L.
12. "I was in treatment for alcoholism and had walked out on 9/11 because I couldn’t stand not having a drink. That night I remember seeing the lines of cars at all the gas stations... and the hollow looks on peoples faces."
- C. B.
- C. B.
13. "I was barely 18 and worked at a small gift shop in Wisconsin Dells. At 9 am, my brother was driving me to work and just as we were pulling into the parking lot it came over the radio that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I didn't know what that was until he informed me it was a large financial building in NYC. We sat in the truck and listened to the radio for a few minutes. Just as we heard that all planes currently in the sky had to land, we looked up and saw a jet making a u-turn right above us. I had to go in to work then, a little shaken and unsure of what was going on.
I turned the small store radio on 94.9 and took out a small journal to document the events as they were announcing them on the radio. A few people come into the store and asked if there was anywhere downtown they could watch this on TV and I informed them that I could not think of anywhere that did until a couple of the bars opened at 11. They would listen to the radio with me for a little bit, just shaking their heads. My mom picked me up from work at 4 and the 20 minute drive home was silent as we just listened to the radio. Once we got home she glued herself to the television and I watched for a little while but got bored and went for a bike ride.
Later that evening our neighbor came over and told us how long the line at the gas stations were. Dad decided to take my brother and each vehicle into town to fill up with gas because he thought gas prices were going to skyrocket. I asked to go along but was not allowed to for some reason. After they returned, my Dad also informed me that one of my aunts worked at a bank near the Sears Tower and was sent home early, as many places around the country closed or evacuated due to not knowing if other planes were going to target highly populated areas.
In the days following, it seemed everyone was seeking out American flags or red, white and blue ribbons or fabric to make patriotic things, and many stores could not keep up with the demand. Flag clothing and t-shirts seemed to appear everywhere as quickly as team apparel after they win the Super Bowl.
Near the end of September, I called a friend in Tennessee and asked if I could come visit. She told me it wasn't a good idea at that time because of the 'war.'"
- S. M.
I turned the small store radio on 94.9 and took out a small journal to document the events as they were announcing them on the radio. A few people come into the store and asked if there was anywhere downtown they could watch this on TV and I informed them that I could not think of anywhere that did until a couple of the bars opened at 11. They would listen to the radio with me for a little bit, just shaking their heads. My mom picked me up from work at 4 and the 20 minute drive home was silent as we just listened to the radio. Once we got home she glued herself to the television and I watched for a little while but got bored and went for a bike ride.
Later that evening our neighbor came over and told us how long the line at the gas stations were. Dad decided to take my brother and each vehicle into town to fill up with gas because he thought gas prices were going to skyrocket. I asked to go along but was not allowed to for some reason. After they returned, my Dad also informed me that one of my aunts worked at a bank near the Sears Tower and was sent home early, as many places around the country closed or evacuated due to not knowing if other planes were going to target highly populated areas.
In the days following, it seemed everyone was seeking out American flags or red, white and blue ribbons or fabric to make patriotic things, and many stores could not keep up with the demand. Flag clothing and t-shirts seemed to appear everywhere as quickly as team apparel after they win the Super Bowl.
Near the end of September, I called a friend in Tennessee and asked if I could come visit. She told me it wasn't a good idea at that time because of the 'war.'"
- S. M.
14. "I was 8 years old and I remember school being weird that day. Everyone was acting strange and mom pulled me out early to have me home, I didn't understand what was going on. I spent nights looking out my window, terrified of terrorists. As an adult, I found my childhood diary and the 9/11 entry gave me chills:
'Came home early but Mommy has been watching the TV and crying all day because some planes crashed into some buildings. I tried to make her feel better. Planes crash a lot and I asked if we knew anyone that got hurt and she said no. I don't know why she's so upset.'"
- N. B.
'Came home early but Mommy has been watching the TV and crying all day because some planes crashed into some buildings. I tried to make her feel better. Planes crash a lot and I asked if we knew anyone that got hurt and she said no. I don't know why she's so upset.'"
- N. B.
15. "I was a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My 8:00 am class was business as usual, but as I walked across campus afterward I overheard one anxious cell phone conversation after another and gradually realized that something big had happened.
I went directly to the cafeteria for a late breakfast. The place was packed with people craning their necks to watch a ceiling-mounted TV showing thick smoke pour from a skyscraper. When someone told me what was going on, I blurted out ,
'Holy f***ing sh*t'
and ran off to call my parents.
Before moving to the US in the early 1990s, my family had lived in a country where freedom of expression was not a guaranteed right. Over the phone, my mom told me,
'Watch what you say in public. Don't criticize the government.'
I had an orchestra rehearsal that afternoon. The conductor, a large, imposing man, tried to be his usual stoic self, but his red eyes suggested that it was a facade. He announced that anyone who needed to leave and reflect on the day's events was excused from rehearsal. Out of the 85 or so orchestra members, nobody left.
At dinner that evening, one of my friends mentioned a rumor that someone had written 'America got what it deserved' on a door in one of the student dorms. I never found out whether the rumor was true."
- N. M.
I went directly to the cafeteria for a late breakfast. The place was packed with people craning their necks to watch a ceiling-mounted TV showing thick smoke pour from a skyscraper. When someone told me what was going on, I blurted out ,
'Holy f***ing sh*t'
and ran off to call my parents.
Before moving to the US in the early 1990s, my family had lived in a country where freedom of expression was not a guaranteed right. Over the phone, my mom told me,
'Watch what you say in public. Don't criticize the government.'
I had an orchestra rehearsal that afternoon. The conductor, a large, imposing man, tried to be his usual stoic self, but his red eyes suggested that it was a facade. He announced that anyone who needed to leave and reflect on the day's events was excused from rehearsal. Out of the 85 or so orchestra members, nobody left.
At dinner that evening, one of my friends mentioned a rumor that someone had written 'America got what it deserved' on a door in one of the student dorms. I never found out whether the rumor was true."
- N. M.
16. "I was in my 6th grade math class when one of the teacher's aids from the classroom across the hall came in and whispered something to my teacher who was in the middle of a lecture. They exchanged a quick word and the aid left the room. Our teacher told us to stay in our seats and he left the classroom. Next thing we know a TV was being wheeled into the room and the class across the hall was joining us. The timing was horribly perfect. The TV is turned to the correct channel during a replay of the event right as the second plane hit a tower. I remember the boy in front of me exclaiming,
'Whoa! BOOOMMMM!' and then laughing.
I didn't really understand what I was watching. We weren't given any context. I had no idea what the World Trade Center was and only a vague idea of the Pentagon. Wisconsin felt pretty far from the east coast but I could see the adults in the room were in a complete stunned silence.
The news quickly replayed the plane crash over and over. The boy in front of me got excited again. He began making sound effects to go with the visual which finally caught the attention of the teacher's aid. This teacher's aid was so blunt she was almost rude but looking back her attitude was perfect for this situation. She stood next to the TV and told us in her no-nonsense voice,
'This is real life. Not a video game. Not a movie.'
And then looking directly at the boy
'This is definitely NOT a joke. People have died. SHUT your mouth for a second and WATCH.'
Her outburst helped me understand the gravity of the situation."
- Anonymous
'Whoa! BOOOMMMM!' and then laughing.
I didn't really understand what I was watching. We weren't given any context. I had no idea what the World Trade Center was and only a vague idea of the Pentagon. Wisconsin felt pretty far from the east coast but I could see the adults in the room were in a complete stunned silence.
The news quickly replayed the plane crash over and over. The boy in front of me got excited again. He began making sound effects to go with the visual which finally caught the attention of the teacher's aid. This teacher's aid was so blunt she was almost rude but looking back her attitude was perfect for this situation. She stood next to the TV and told us in her no-nonsense voice,
'This is real life. Not a video game. Not a movie.'
And then looking directly at the boy
'This is definitely NOT a joke. People have died. SHUT your mouth for a second and WATCH.'
Her outburst helped me understand the gravity of the situation."
- Anonymous
17. "I had an orthodontist appointment when the first plane hit. The staff couldn't change the office radio music, but they did have a walkman radio with headphones. They gave it to me and I followed the reports as they unfolded. I still remember there being a rumor early (after the Pentagon hit) that the Capitol had also been struck."
- Nathaniel B.
- Nathaniel B.
18. "I was 10 years old in a small home-school co-op. Two of the older kids had watched the footage while at drivers'ed classes at the local high school. Our parents came to get us early that day and I didn't understand what had happened until a few days later.
I most clearly remember the flags. Thousands of flags, everywhere. The flags, and a deep sense of shock and sobriety from everyone. It felt like the whole world was quiet and sad and angry."
- Samantha M.
I most clearly remember the flags. Thousands of flags, everywhere. The flags, and a deep sense of shock and sobriety from everyone. It felt like the whole world was quiet and sad and angry."
- Samantha M.
19. "I was 5 years old in Kindergarten class. We were just starting the day when the teacher excused herself to the hall, then all the Kindergarten and 1st Grade teachers met in the hall. I couldn't tell what they were talking about and one of the teachers started crying for a bit but composed herself and went back to her room. Later on when I went home my parents tried being as normal as possible but it felt off that day to me. I actually didn't know what had happened until a full year later actually.
I couldn't understand what happened but I felt a wave of shock when I found out."
- Cameron Kugler
I couldn't understand what happened but I felt a wave of shock when I found out."
- Cameron Kugler
20. "I was a high school freshman in southeast Wisconsin, two weeks into the school year. It was during the first class of the day, geometry, the principal came over the speaker and said,
'An airplane has hit the World Trade Center in New York City.'
I watched a lot of the History Channel, so I knew how a small plane had flown into the Empire State Building in fog in the '40s. That's the sort of thing that I had thought occurred again.
I wasn't in a classroom that had a TV until about 11 am central time and it was over by then. The network news had pictures of the huge clouds over Manhattan and played clips over and over of the burning and collapsing towers . The news reporters were as bewildered as us.
We talked about the thousands of people who worked in those skyscrapers. There could be 10-50,000 people dead or more! The news was talking about additional hijacked planes flying around and military jets flying after them. It was crazy that they got all the airplanes out of the sky and landed within hours.
We all thought this was the new Pearl Harbor, but it was not entirely clear what was happening or if things were over.
The sky seemed quiet. Where I grew up had planes flying high in the sky before lining up to land at O'Hare. The sky was bright, solid blue in my town that day as well and it was empty.
It was like that for several days.
Everything was cancelled the rest of the week, no football practice and no sports on TV. People were quiet too. Nothing was happy or fun, it was hard to think of anything else for a while. It was chaotic, everyone wanted to do something!
Everything seemed permanently different."
- Anonymous
'An airplane has hit the World Trade Center in New York City.'
I watched a lot of the History Channel, so I knew how a small plane had flown into the Empire State Building in fog in the '40s. That's the sort of thing that I had thought occurred again.
I wasn't in a classroom that had a TV until about 11 am central time and it was over by then. The network news had pictures of the huge clouds over Manhattan and played clips over and over of the burning and collapsing towers . The news reporters were as bewildered as us.
We talked about the thousands of people who worked in those skyscrapers. There could be 10-50,000 people dead or more! The news was talking about additional hijacked planes flying around and military jets flying after them. It was crazy that they got all the airplanes out of the sky and landed within hours.
We all thought this was the new Pearl Harbor, but it was not entirely clear what was happening or if things were over.
The sky seemed quiet. Where I grew up had planes flying high in the sky before lining up to land at O'Hare. The sky was bright, solid blue in my town that day as well and it was empty.
It was like that for several days.
Everything was cancelled the rest of the week, no football practice and no sports on TV. People were quiet too. Nothing was happy or fun, it was hard to think of anything else for a while. It was chaotic, everyone wanted to do something!
Everything seemed permanently different."
- Anonymous
21. "I had graduated earlier that year and was still living with my parents, working two jobs so I could save up to move out. Having worked both jobs on 9/10, I was still sleeping when the first plane struck. My dad woke me up when the second tower got hit to let me know what was happening.
I asked him if any of the attacks were near Wisconsin. When he said they weren't, I told him to wake me up if there were any attacks close to us and went back to sleep until the early afternoon.
The gravity of what was happening didn't really hit me until I went to my evening job at a parcel delivery service similar to UPS but much smaller and more local. Since none of the higher-ups knew what the attacks were going to mean for domestic commerce, we didn't load or unload any trucks that night. We all just sat around the break room TV."
- Anonymous
I asked him if any of the attacks were near Wisconsin. When he said they weren't, I told him to wake me up if there were any attacks close to us and went back to sleep until the early afternoon.
The gravity of what was happening didn't really hit me until I went to my evening job at a parcel delivery service similar to UPS but much smaller and more local. Since none of the higher-ups knew what the attacks were going to mean for domestic commerce, we didn't load or unload any trucks that night. We all just sat around the break room TV."
- Anonymous
22. "I was a high school freshman, walking into my 2nd hour civics class when I saw the teacher had the news on.
There was nothing to teach that day. We watched and talked what we were seeing for the whole class period.
I don't remember much of the rest of the day, but I do remember my drive home and passing the gas station by my house. Cars lined up the entire the street as the country panicked for gas."
- F. M.
There was nothing to teach that day. We watched and talked what we were seeing for the whole class period.
I don't remember much of the rest of the day, but I do remember my drive home and passing the gas station by my house. Cars lined up the entire the street as the country panicked for gas."
- F. M.
23. "5th grade at Blessed Sacrament in La Crosse, Mrs. Schmidt's class. She put on the TV newscast and we saw the second plane hit. Later in the day there was an assembly of the "big kids" to explain what was happening.
At that age, I originally wanted to be a pilot. Once I got to middle school, there was a school program that put together a small 'newscast' for the school to air during lunchtime. I joined that program and really liked the behind the scenes stuff.
I wanted to be a pilot before I watched the news in Mrs. Schmidt's classroom. Once out of high school, I applied at one of the local news stations and got a job. The rest is history."
- Anonymous
At that age, I originally wanted to be a pilot. Once I got to middle school, there was a school program that put together a small 'newscast' for the school to air during lunchtime. I joined that program and really liked the behind the scenes stuff.
I wanted to be a pilot before I watched the news in Mrs. Schmidt's classroom. Once out of high school, I applied at one of the local news stations and got a job. The rest is history."
- Anonymous
24. "I was on Midwest Express Flight 411 en-route to Washington D.C. from Milwaukee. Boarded at 7:45 am. - Took off at 8:10. We got near Detroit and flight attendants were running up to the cockpit. Pilot came on and said we were going back to Milwaukee. Then said we were landing in Columbus due to an ‘emergency’. People had phones on the plane, heard about NY and thought we had a bomb on our plane.
Once on the ground in Columbus, our pilots took all their stuff and said no one was going anyplace. I got to a bar in the terminal just as the first tower fell. Only then did I get an idea of what was truly going on. My wife did not know which plane hit the Pentagon and I wasn't able to call her for a while. I found a ride back to Milwaukee and drove through Chicago which was a ghost town at rush hour. To this day I feel like I was spared. I cannot watch any documentaries of the brave heroes of that day. It’s just too sad for me. Never forget. I’ll never get over this sad day.
- E. P.
Once on the ground in Columbus, our pilots took all their stuff and said no one was going anyplace. I got to a bar in the terminal just as the first tower fell. Only then did I get an idea of what was truly going on. My wife did not know which plane hit the Pentagon and I wasn't able to call her for a while. I found a ride back to Milwaukee and drove through Chicago which was a ghost town at rush hour. To this day I feel like I was spared. I cannot watch any documentaries of the brave heroes of that day. It’s just too sad for me. Never forget. I’ll never get over this sad day.
- E. P.
25. "I was in the third grade and had seen the Twin Towers only a few months prior during a trip on the way home from Cooperstown. I saw them from the Statue of Liberty.
Nobody wanted to tell the kids so I didn't find out about it until after school."
- Anonymous
Nobody wanted to tell the kids so I didn't find out about it until after school."
- Anonymous
26. "I was working 2nd shift at the Janesville Wisconsin GM assembly plant. My roommate called and told me to turn on the TV. I was sleeping at the time and was irritated that he woke me up. In spite of that, I went downstairs and turned the TV on. As I was watching, the 2nd plane hit in what was sheer shock and sadness. I'm called people I know to see if anyone has information on what is going on and sat there for hours, glued to the news.
For some reason, I drive to my parents house. Maybe it just felt safer. I got there and called them up since they were working and their house suddenly shook as this thunderous noise went overhead. So, I'm kind of freaking out once I realized it was a plane. Not just any plane but a fighter jet at low altitude. Later I found out there was a passenger jet who was not responding out of, or coming to O'Hare Airport in Chicago. They had scrambled fighter jets from I believe Fort McCoy to intercept the jet if needed. My mom came home shortly after that and we just sat there silent, watching the news unfold. I needed to go home so I could get to work.
I had an uneasy feeling whether to go into work or not. Without having much information, I remembered that auto assembly plants had been converted into building equipment for armed forces. We could possibly be a target if the attacks were to continue or accelerate. I went in anyway, where much of our shift was discussing what had happened and the poor souls lost at that point. Within a couple of days we were building Tahoes, Suburbans, Yukons and Yukon XL's that were being donated to the recovery effort. We all signed our names the inside of the engine compartment with yellow wax marking pens. It was a scary and sad time for all Americans but I was proud to be helping in some small way. It was very emotional for all of us workers to know our labor could help families, front line workers and responders do their jobs."
- Rob Schultz
For some reason, I drive to my parents house. Maybe it just felt safer. I got there and called them up since they were working and their house suddenly shook as this thunderous noise went overhead. So, I'm kind of freaking out once I realized it was a plane. Not just any plane but a fighter jet at low altitude. Later I found out there was a passenger jet who was not responding out of, or coming to O'Hare Airport in Chicago. They had scrambled fighter jets from I believe Fort McCoy to intercept the jet if needed. My mom came home shortly after that and we just sat there silent, watching the news unfold. I needed to go home so I could get to work.
I had an uneasy feeling whether to go into work or not. Without having much information, I remembered that auto assembly plants had been converted into building equipment for armed forces. We could possibly be a target if the attacks were to continue or accelerate. I went in anyway, where much of our shift was discussing what had happened and the poor souls lost at that point. Within a couple of days we were building Tahoes, Suburbans, Yukons and Yukon XL's that were being donated to the recovery effort. We all signed our names the inside of the engine compartment with yellow wax marking pens. It was a scary and sad time for all Americans but I was proud to be helping in some small way. It was very emotional for all of us workers to know our labor could help families, front line workers and responders do their jobs."
- Rob Schultz